Supreme: Blue Rose #4 Review

Supreme: Blue Rose has reached its apex with Supreme: Blue Rose #4. For a series with around 7 issues in total, this issue represents the direct midpoint of the story. The bad part about that is that middles are sometimes usually just that: middling.

This issue acts as a sort of thematic bridge between the previous issues and the next half. The main problem here being that it doesn’t really give us what we don’t already have. It’s more of a sum-up before heading into something new. Which is fine and all, but the chapter rather noticeably just stops the plot so it can go on and do this, abrupt to a large point.
What we do get in return, however, is just another perspective of this repeated information. In Blue Rose #3 the readers were treated to a very lengthy explanation for the events that had been occurring around Diana Dane. Here, we see the flipside, or the point of view of what could be called an opposing force. Perhaps the most interesting thing that this brought to the table were the small differences.

It’s an interesting duality that the two bring when contrasted with each other. Other than that the issue was as normally dry as could be for the biggest chunk of it. While it was nice to see Doc Rocket back in his speed racing action, he was stuck in “talking heads” mode soon after. Yet I cannot be completely down on this issue. The best parts of this had to have been the fringe segments.
The Professor Night segments have been a constant source of befuddlement since the series began, but now they’ve just become audacious fun. They showcase Lotay’s impressive artistic skills and are random, but effective, snap shots into some adrenaline filled adventure. We might know (yet) what exactly is going on, but one can feel the raw power emanating from the snippets.

All in all, it is Lotay who takes the forefront in this issue as it leans more heavily on the series’ artistic side than the other installments. The most Ellis does is again set-up the important role Probe/Lady Surpreme has yet to establish in the narrative. It’s not an altogether bad issue, but aside from some breaths of genius, it’s just there. Supreme: Blue Rose is still, however, one of the best minis this year.